看板

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 看板 (かんばん) combines viewing 看 and board 板 to denote a signboard, with an extended sense of a signature feature.
• Basic usage: It can hang at a store entrance or describe the dish that represents the business.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Physical sign and signature offering
  • In 看板料理, no board is meant; the dish figuratively carries the store's identity and reputation.